Against the odds: Joey Lauren Adams breaks through Hollywood's boys' club

"Come Early Morning" is actress' Joey Lauren Adams coming out party as not only the creative force behind the project as a screenwriter, but she also served as the film's director. A first time experience for Adams on both accounts, she handled the obstacle course of the filmmaking process was grace and passion representative of a seasoned professional. The films debuts Nov. 10.

Her serving as the launch premiere for a woman's film festival is not lost on Adams. As winner of the Director's Award for Women at the Crystal Awards trophy for women's directing, she firmly knows the importance of being a woman in Tinseltown and creating your own opportunities. Even if that career move means going against the odds with that fifteen percent statistic, Adams found she had to do something.

Consider Adams another Hollywood creative force making a difference, bringing talent-worthy roles to actresses she admires. After having some time to soak in the experience and her work's subsequent universal praise, Adams spoke with SheKnows about the entire Come Early Morning experience.

SK: Why did being the centerpiece of the Women in Film Festival in San Diego appeal to you?
JLA: Just getting word out about the movie and it seems it's a female driven story. There's a small message in the movie women out there have had similar things in their relationship with their father and I hope this helps in some way.

SK: The film also it seems to be celebrated because the creative force behind it was a woman as well.
JLA: Yeah and with female producers and Ashley Judd starring in the film.

SK: Now, I know several of your colleagues you have worked with in the past have branched out into writing and directing their own work, what spawned this for you, the desire to, frankly, take on this huge project?
JLA: (laughs) I think it was a necessity. I wasn't happy with the parts that were available to me. I wasn't happy with the parts that were available to actresses that I love. After playing Alyssa in Chasing Amy, which was such a complex female character, I thought, well now it will happen. The roles are just not out there and I knew I wasn't going to change anything acting. Unless you hit a certain point in you career, it is not something which feels proactive. I felt very much at the mercy of Hollywood.

SK: I don't think it would feel comfortable in any career to be at the mercy of what other people are thinking of you?
JLA: It is a weird position to be in and when I wasn't acting I would wake up and want to work but there were no meetings, scripts to read or auditions to go to and it just, for me, it was destructive. I was very unhappy. That combined with the frustration of the world and I thought what I would love to have show up on my door that would make you think 'I have to do this movie.' And I started writing. Rule number one is write what you know, so that's what I did.

SK: I noticed that a lot of the film was shot where you grew up in Arkansas?
JLA: Yes, we filmed in my hometown.

SK: How was that? Was it surreal in any way?
JLA: I think more so for them, the people there. I don't think they realized how big a film crew is but for me it was really important because I feel comfortable there and the locations were so important to me on the film. I thought of the locations as I was writing I was describing places that exactly exist and we got to use some of those locations. Just having my family and friends support me, I don't know, it would have been a lot harder to go to a city that I was unfamiliar with and try to go through preproduction in a short amount of time that we had.

SK: The south sounds like a creative fertile environment for you, was it?
JLA: Yes, it's weird actually. I'm surprised there are not more southern filmmakers. The south is rich in story and writers.

SK: You were nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival, but I noticed you won the Director's Award for Women at the Crystal Awards. That probably meant a lot more to you.
JLA: It was great. But, I think it happened too soon for me to truly appreciate it. In a weird way, it has taken a while to see myself as a director. When I first got to Sundance and we were going up to get our information, one of the workers asked me if I was a director. I looked behind me. (Laughs) It does, it takes some getting used to.

SK: I would think so and many people who do this also star in the film
JLA: I don't know how they do that.

SK: That was not an option for you?
JLA: I thought about it for a while, but the part is such a huge part. She is in every scene. I also didn't go to film school and although I've been on several movie sets we had a meeting with the line producer and she started talking condors, equipment and days with scheduling and there was so much I don't know on the directing side, I decided I better not act in it at all.

SK: Could you see doing that in the future, adding acting to writing and directing?
JLA: Maybe a smaller part, but I can't tell you how nice it was to go to set and not have to worry about my hair, makeup and clothes. It would interrupt my process somehow to go back and forth. I really love getting down and dirty with it all and just being in the thick of it.

SK: You mentioned before there were actresses you were thrilled to offer not only work, but this kind of quality work. Dianne Ladd, for one, who is just a fantastic actress, what was it like to work with her, but also an up-and-comer like Laura Prepon and a gem like Ashley Judd?
JLA: You know what I got so unbelievably lucky with my actors. I know how difficult they can be. I have, well, probably been a difficult actress. I can't tell you how incredible Ashley is, she is just so seasoned. She has a confidence in her talents now as she's gotten older that directing her was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It was the perfect piece of clay and would do everything I wanted it to do. It was incredible trust